Othello #4

Scenes 3 and 4 of Act III overtly display Iago’s simple attempts to manipulate Othello. It appears as though manipulating Othello was an easy task, when beforehand in the novel outplaying the almighty Othello seemed like an impossible task. Before Iago began manipulating Othello and his fortunes, Othello was a well-gifted and honest man. Now with every little piece of evidence pointing towards adultery and conspiracy, Othello is outraged and maddened at the blasphemous tales Iago tells him. First, Othello is led to believe that Cassio and Desdemona are fooling around behind his back, then he searches for reasons to distrust Desdemona and ultimately is made sensible of her lost handkerchief. According to Othello, the handkerchief carries sentimental value and “to lose ‘t or give ‘t away were such perdition / As nothing else could match” (58-59). It is important to understand Othello’s heightened temper over such a little period of time. Within 40 lines of the play, he transitions from ill-tempered to absolutely furious and demanding of unmistakable evidence against his wife’s supposed affair. Othello entrusts Iago with finding answers and swears Cassio away from the lieutenantship and offers it to Iago. Accordingly, Iago’s plan continues to mold itself into a successful scheme that will result in the fall of Othello and destruction of an originally beautiful marriage and friendship. 

OTHELLO #3:

Iago’s plan all comes to be in these dense scenes ranging from Othello celebrating his marriage, to Cassio stabbing Montano out of pure drunkenness, to Othello dismissing Cassio of his service. Believe it or not, all of these tragic events are precipitated by Iago, who seems completely innocent in these scenes. However, it is this exact innocence that makes Iago the most dangerous and even prompts him to ask, “And what’s he, then, that says I play the villain, / When this advice is free I give and honest / Probal to thinking, and indeed the course / To win the Moor again” (356-359).  Iago’s mastery as a perpetrator enables him to take control of Cassio and pit him against Othello. This is the beginning of Othello’s fall from power. His rage for Cassio’s actions and disloyalty are fully developed. According the Iago, it is only a matter of time before the plan is in full drive and Iago and Roderigo are rewarded for their labor as “the fruits that blossom first will first be ripe” (398). Iago’s character in the coming scenes is important. He is capable of slipping into a crowd without being scene, yet his intentions are fatal and tragic. It seems that Iago is acting almost every second of the play. His trickery is something to keep an eye out for as he beguiles Othello into distrusting both Cassio and Desdemona for the benefit of his own selfish desires.

OTHELLO #2:

 

It is safe to infer that Act 2 scene 1 is the height of Othello’s happiness and joy if one remembers the tragic novelty of the play. Surviving a tempest and being reunited on Cyprus with Desdemona, Othello is ecstatic he escaped almost certain death. The battle he came to Cyprus to fight is over because the Turkish fleet “hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance / On most part of their fleet” (23-25). Othello’s presence on Cyprus immediately makes him the most powerful man on the island. All of Othello’s excitement forces him to say, “Amen to that, sweet powers! / I cannot speak of enough of this content. / It stops me here, it is too much of joy” (180-182). It is almost believable to say that Othello’s happiness will never cease in this condition. However, with Iago breathing down Othello’s neck and conspiring against him, it is impossible to overlook the oncoming tragedy that will likely ensue. The audience even grabs a glimpse of the foreshadowing in the early making of the act: “What from the cape can you discern? / Nothing at all. It is a high wrought flood” (1-2). The first conversation between Montano and the First Gentleman focuses on the limitations of sight as a physical burden, which relates to the Turkish fleet. Since the fleet is destroyed and there is no war to fight, the conversation foreshadows a more metaphorical blindedness, caused by Othello’s blinding passion and rage for Desdemona. With that in mind, it is safe to infer that Othello’s happiness during this scene is temporary, and a sudden onslaught of tragedy is likely to follow.

Sound and Sense Chapter 13 Exercise

11-      A: The major difference between the two lines is the lack of the euphonious “gu—” sound present in the A but not in B. The use of the “gu—” sound adds a sense of security as in the “guide” and the “guard”.

22-      B: The sounds achieved in the words “harsh” and “crabbed” offer a more harsh tone than in the first set of lines, and the use of a more “l” sound in “Apollo’s lute” offer a more desirable tone than the “lute of Phoebus”.

33-      A: The first line offers more of a sense of assonance through the use of the “o” sounding tone in “crows croak hoarsely”, giving the piece a more calm and melancholy outlook.

44-      B: “Your voice” and “how bells” offer a more euphonious sound than the original “talk attests”, which in turn reinforces the subtle silence and loneliness in the piece.

55-      B: The use of parallelism in “immemorial” and “innumerable” in the second set of lines offer more of a sense of ferocity than in the previous lines, and the repeated “m” sound in “myriads” and “moan” reinforce this intensity.

66-      B: The use of the word “warbles” emphasize the “out of tune” that appears right afterwards because of the sound nature of the word. Also, the repeated euphonious sounds in “discordant”, “tones” and “doleful” reinforce the lark singing out of tune.

77-      B: The repeated euphonious sounds in “drums” and “guns”, “bastions” and “batteries”, and “bayonets” and “bullets”, as well as the ongoing “b” sound, serve to bluntly reinforce the message that weapons are a menace to society.

88-      A: The repetition of the “s” sound in “incessantly”, “softly” and “soiled” offer a more soothing tune towards the piece, which heightens the intensity of the daughter’s Death and Night cleansing the world.

99-      B: The repeated “l” sounds in “tolls the knell”, and the repeated “m” and “w” sounds in “plowman” and “homeward” add to the peaceful tone of the piece.

110-  B: As opposed to the sounds offered in the previous lines, this set focuses more on the rhythm, especially in the second set of lines. This short-syllable rhythm emphasizes the energy of the “bug with gilded wings”.

Iago's Motives for Disgust

Scattered throughout Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Othello are various stated motives for Iago’s actions against the high ranking Venetian General. Hints of jealousy, disgust, and hatred create an interesting contrast within Iago’s character, between his personal side and his public side, that cannot go unnoticed. Below are some of the various motives:

Motive 1: Iago is jealous of Cassio’s appointment to Lieutenant under Othello’s campaign, and he expresses this envy in the very first scene of the play.

“But he, sir, had th' election; / And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof / At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds / Christian and heathen, must be belee’d and / calmed / By debitor and creditor. This counter-caster, / He (in good time) must his lieutenant be, / And I, <God> bless the mark, his Moorship’s ancient” (I.i.28-35).

·         Iago is certainly disappointed that he did not get the nomination to Lieutenant. He strongly believes that his experience in battle should outweigh the mind and wit of Cassio, who has merely been schooled. Since it is Othello’s responsibility to appoint the Lieutenant, Iago feels betrayed, as he has proven his skills to Othello in battle before. Iago expresses this bitterness to Roderigo and agrees to help his cause by turning Brabantio against Othello.

Motive 2: In the soliloquy that concludes Act 1 Scene 3, Iago expresses more distaste for Othello, citing his fear that Othello has slept with his wife.

“I hate the Moor, / And it is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets / He’s done my office. I know not if ’t be true, / But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, / Will do as if for surety” (I.iii.429-433).

·         Expounding upon the bitterness Iago experiences earlier in the play, he emphasizes his hatred for Othello in his concluding soliloquy of the act. Iago claims to have heard rumors of Othello sleeping with his wife, but is still unaware of their validity and truth. However, this does not stop Iago from denouncing the claim upright; in fact, it encourages him to believe the claim to be not only a “suspicion” (432) but a “surety” (433). The readers can only expect more mischief from Iago’s character as his demonizing hatred for Othello rages forth.